Device for exhibitng miniatures.



No. 689,709. Patented Dec. 24, |90l. L. J. DIRAND.

DEVICE FUR EXHIBITING MINIATURES.

(Application led Apr. 29, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Fpgl. .f7 /0 INVENTOR.

WITN ESSES.

` @wef n1: onlus man: co. novo-mno., wgsnmsmu.' n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS J. DIRAND, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

DEVICE FOR EXHIBITING MINIATURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,709, dated December 24, 1901.

Application filed April 29, 1901. Serial No. 57,903. (N0 model- To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, Louis J.D11 AND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Torrington, county ofLitchtield,State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Device for Exhibiting Miniato res, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its obje/ct to provide drums and holders therefor 'for exhibiting miniatures microscopically, the drums being so simple and inexpensive t'o produce, each holding five or more miniatures, that a number of different drums may be used with cach holder,thereby affording unlimited entertainment and amusement for adults and children at trifling expense and the holders heilig so inexpensiveto produce that they can be sold at retail with a number of drums for an inconsiderable sum, thus placing them within the reach of all. Each holder consists, es-

. sentially, of a socket to hold interchangeable drums and a case for the socket, the parts being readily detachable, the socket sliding within the case inthe same manner as a box within its lid, the case being in fact` a deep lid for the socket or box which receives the drums and the device as a whole being so small as to adapt it for attachment to a watch or other chain as a pendant'or ornament.

With these ends in view I have devised the novel miniature exhibiting device which I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and using reference characters to designate the several parts. l

Figure lis a side elevation illustrating a form of exhibitingdevice in which -onepicture only is visible at a time, and Fig. 2 avertical section corresponding therewith. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are respectively perspectives of the socket, drum, and case detached; Fig. 6, a perspective of a form diering from the irst only inthat duplicate tubes and peep-holes are provided, one showing the picture in its natural position and the other inverted; Fig. 7, a perspective illustrating a form differing slightly in details of construction; and Fig. 8 is a horizontal section showing still another form in which the drum is carried by an angular shaft provided with an external finger- Y wheel.

In the drawings I have illustrated my novel exhibiting device on a greatly-enlarged scale, the several figures of the drawings representing the parts on a scale from two to three times the actual size.

In Figs. l to 5, inclusive, the general outline of the device as a whole is that of a revolver, the tube representing the barrel of a revolver, the drum, socket, and case representing the cylinder of a revolver, and the case being provided with a handle corresponding with the handle or grip of a revolver. In Figs. 6 and 8 the general appearance is substantially the same, except that two tubes are provided, resembling to a certain extent a double-barreled pistol, and in Fig. '7 the general design is that of a double field-glass.

The essential elements of my novel miniature-exhibiting device are a drum A, a socket therefor, which I have indicated by B, and a shell or case O, which receives the socket in the same manner that a deep lid receives the corresponding box. The drum may be made ofany suitable inexpensive material, as wood or compressed pulp. The cylinders are made interchangeable aud simply lie snugly within the sockets, but loosely enough to be turned freely by the application of vslight power, the periphery of the drums being ordinarily roughened, corrugated, or cross-hatched, as at 10, and the sockets and shells being provided with corresponding openings 1l, through which the finger of the operator may reach the surface of the drum to turn it. As a modified form in Fig. 8, the drum is provided with a central angular opening 12, which is engaged by an angular shaft 13, secured and mounted to turn centrally in the socket, its inner end having a bearing adapted to engage a central hole 14 in the base of the shell or case, the outer end of the shaft being provided with a nurled finger-Wheel l5 for the convenience of the operator in rotating the shaftand drum. Each drum is provided with a series of longitudinal holes 23, arranged in a circle, five being the number shown in the drawings, to receive lenses 16, each lens carrying a miniature picture 17. This type of lenses with miniature pictures is in common use and the special style or make of lenses is not of the essence of my invention. The lenses ordinarily tit closelyin the holes, as the cost of the cylinders with the IOO lenses therein is to trilling lto make it an object to change lenses'. The sockets and the 'cases are simply drawn metal shells, or, if preferred, they may be made ot' compressed pulp or of pasteboard. Ipreferably, however, use light metal shells-fi. e., cupped disks. In addition to the opening ll each socket is shown as provided with either one or two tubes or barrels 18, which of course register with holes in the bases of the socket and are so located as to register with the lenses in the drum. It will be obvious that the barrels are not of the essence of my invention and may be omitted, if preferred. The shells or cases are provided with peep-holes 19, which are adapted to register with the barrels, so that when a lens is in line with a peep-hole and a barrel the miniature picture therein may be seen clearly. If two barrels and peepholes are used, the user by looking through one peep-hole-the right, for eXample-will see a picture in its normal position, and by looking through the other peep-hole will see a picture inverted, which may be made to add very much to the amusement when comic pictures are used. In practice drums are provided with various styles of pictures-for example, with a series of comic pictures, with a series of pictures of generals, statesmen, and prominent individuals, and with a series of pictures of Government buildings or buildings of an exposition.

2O denotes a handle, which is preferably placed upon the case for convenience in holding the device in use, and either the handle or the case is provided with an eye 2l to receive a ring or a chain-link for the purpose of carrying the device suspended.

In Fig. 7, as a modification, I have shown a form in which the peep-holes are provided with .sight-tubes 22.

In use in assembling the operator slides a drum within a socket and slides the socket within a case, the parts being all interchangeable. The openings l1 in the socket and case are of course caused to register with each other, which leaves one side of the barrel eX- 4 posed, so that the operator may readily turn it with his inger so as to place one of the lenses in alinem ent with a peep-hole or a sighttube and a barrel. In the modified form illustrated in Fig. S the mode of assembling and changing the drums is practically the same, the drums being of course placed upon the shaft and the bearing at the inner end of the shaft placed in engagement with the hole 14 in the base of the case. In this form the openings 11 in the socket and case may be omitted and the .drum may be rotated by means of the linger-wheel.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. A device for exhibiting miniatures comprising a cylindrical socket, a drum provided with a series of lenses and miniatures and snugly Iitted within said socket so as to be rotated therein with the walls of the socket as a bearing for the drum, and a cylindrical case snugly fitting the exterior of said socket, the said parts being detachable and interchangeable, and the socket and case having registering openings in their end walls by means of which one of the miniatures maybe seen.

2. A device for exhibiting miniatures comprising a cylindrical socket, a drum provided with a series of lenses and miniatures and snugly iitting within said socket so as to be rotated therein with the walls of the socket as a bearing for the drum, and a cylindrical case snugly itting the exterior of said socket, the said parts being detachable and interchangeable, the said socket and case having registering openings in their end walls for viewing a miniature, and having registering openings in one side whereby the drum in the socket may be revolved.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS J. DIRAND.

Witnesses:

E. F. FILIERE, WALTER HoLcoMB. 

